Needle-making machine



' NW'PIZ, 1929. A. HQFMANN ETAL I 1,735,759

" NEEDLE MAKING MAQHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. Hot-MANN ET AL 1,735,759

NEEDLE M AKING MACHINE Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed Feb. 27, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VLi VTORS,

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Nov. 12, 1929.

A. HOFMANN' ET AL NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 l1 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nbv. 12, 1929;

A. HOFMANN T AL NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Filed --27. 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 fllfre By 08 N V- 1 I A. HOFMANN ET AL 1,735,759

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 ll Sheets-Sheet INVENTORS,

Jlfiedliofmapn Oswz'rz 71. 601

N v. 1.929. A. HQFMANN ET AL- 1 135,159

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 ll Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS Jlfrad flbfm ann Nov. 12, 1929. A. HOFMANN ET AL NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Fi l ed Feb. 27, 19

11 Sheets-Sheet 8 IIIUWIH Oswin 712m NOV- 1929. A. HOFMANN ET AL 1,735,759

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 1.1 Shets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS.

Jlfredflofmqmz Uswin Nov. 12, 1929.

A. HOFMANN ET AL 1,735,759

NEEDLE MAKING MACHINE H 11 Sheets-Sheet ll Filed Feb. 27, 1928 IF 1 Q Nai I F} F L y= l 10 INVENTORS;

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J7 dles volving swaging, grooving, flattening, point-- Patented Nov. 12, 1929 with;

ALFRED.HOFM AN1 T, 0F FORT LEE, ANDDSVIN KA'NIS, OF UNION CITY, N EXV JERSEY,

ASSIGNGR-S T0 ALFRED HQFMANN NEEDLE WORKS, INC, OF UNION CITY, NEW ER- snY, A conrona'rron on nnwsnnsn'r I EEDL -MAKING MACHINE Applicatfonfiled February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,402.

This invention relates to needle making machines and, more particularly, to a machine for making nai'rowingeleinents or points, sometimes also called transfer-nee- Itis the primary object of theinvention to provide a full-automatic machine, that is, a machine which is entirely automatic'in its operation and which will make complete narrowing-points from blanks fed tothe machine. r U

Another object is simultaneously to oper ate upon a plurality of narrowing-points in 1 a single machine and successively to discharge therefrom a complete, marketable narrowing-point I A further object within the contemplation of our invention is to provide a machine whereby, by a single continuous procedure, two general operations are performed, namely, an. element-forming operation-4ning, and other operations-whereby anarrowing-element or point is formed and, then, a finishing operation involving tempering. These two general operationsare performed in the same machine and successively, one to.

the other, resulting in the production ofa finished product ready for the market.

A fundamental object of our invention is to produce a machine-made narrowing-point, that is, a point made entirely by machinery, without any hand manipulation in the course of its making, between cutting; a wire to length to form the point-blank and the tempering of the formed point ready for the market. a j

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine of this character having a plurality of units or stations,'to each of which a narrowing-point-blank 1s successively transferred and at which one or more operations necessary to the completion of a.

point may be performed. A further ob ect 1 to provlde a mach ne of this character with a carrier moving 1011-" gitudinally of the machlneand whlchtrans.

fers each point from station to station.

Still another ob'ect of the=invention is to provide a machine ofthis character with a series of work-holders or chucks, each of whlch 1s adapted to reciprocate transversely of the machine and in relation to a longitudinally movable carrier and which insertsthe points into an operating instrumentality and withdraws it therefrom the operation. p U

v A further object isfto provide a carrier having point-carryingjaws by which a nar rowing-point is held and maintained in chuck-taking position during its transfer upon completion of from one station to another and which accu rately present the point to a work-holder or chuck at each station. further object is to provide afmaichine iavlng a plurality of point-carrying members, work-holders, andoperatinginstrumentalities,'all of which operate simultaneously on a plurality of elements and inlsynchrol'llSIIl. A still further object of the inventionjis to subject a narrowing-point-blank to l a series of operations whereby a narrowing-point is formed and then, as-a finishing step, in the same machine, subject it to a tempering operation, involving the slow heating of the narrowing-point and its into an oil bath. l a i Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and in part be out as the description more fully brought proceeds.

Our invent1ve-conceptinvolves not only final introdu ti 7 structure for makingand finishing a narrow x ing-pointready for the market, as aforementioned, but, also, a method with which said structure may advantageously be utilized. 51

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated one of several possible and prac-. tica-l embodiments offour-inventionybutit is to be understood that the drawings are illus-f trative merely and are,i'n noway, to be'fcoir' sideredfias limiting'theinvention to the detaiIstherein shown. Many modificatio'ns' and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or underlying principles and salient features of'our invention. 1 r

In these drawings: f .v 1" Fig. 1 is a plan viewof the left halfof a machine constructed according to our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the right halfof the machine; 7 V

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the left half of the machine taken'substantially along the line.

of the transfer bar Fig. f is a sectional view of the right half of the-machine taken along the 'same line as Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the sWa-ge,

showing the chuck holding the narrowingpoint during this operation; r

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the swage blocks;

Fig. 8 is a collective view-on an enlarged "scale showing the position of the chuck, cargroo-ve-punching operation rier-j aws, and groovepunch, just prior to the Fig.9 is a View of'the chuck with the narrowing-point in proper position and ready to advance toward the groove punch;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 and showing, in dotted lines, the advanced position of thechuck when the groove is being punched and also the butt-end of rolled down the narrowing-point Fig. 11 is a sectional v'ew taken on line I1 11 of Fig. 2and illustrates the mechanisms for bending the point;

' Fig. 12 is a collective View, partly insection, showing the narrowing-point held by the chuck prior to its introduction into the bending mechanism;

rig. 13is a View similar to Fig. 12, but

showing bendlng g Fig. 14 15 a front view of the point-bending mechanism;

the point at the completion of the Fig. '15..is,a broken perspective view'o-f the bending'anvil and die;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the takeoff "and tempering mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a view on an enlarged scale of the point-remover at the end of its forward stroke;

Q'Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 and I showing,

in solid lines, the position of'the point-remover at'thestart of the return stroke and, in dotted'lines, the initial posi- Fig.719 is a perspective view of thepointremover; I

Fig. 20 isa View, partly in section, illustrating the muffle furnace and oilbath;

Fig. 21 is a sectional -viewof the muiiie fur- .;nace showing the point-carrying racks;

Fig.22 is a horizontal section through the in plan; I V

Fig. 23 is a series of views, more or less diagrammatic, of the relative positions of the fixed and movable point-carrying racks at furnace and showing the pOint carryingrackS' use of the narrowing point in combination with a spring-beard'needle of well-known construction.

General outline I v In the machine of our invention, a blank is advanced successively to a series of units or stations at which one or more operations on the blank are performed. Thismachine is of the general type disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 232,794, filed November 12," 1927, now Patent No.1,696,48 f, which is particularly adapted for the production of spring-beard needles. The present machine,

however, includes many modifications Linstructure and operation in orderto adapt it to the production of narrowing-points or transfer needles.

In addition to a general supporting and "driving structure,the units or stations, preferably and as shown, include:

l/Vire straightening mechanism. Gutting-to-length mechanism. Initial transfer mechanism. 7 i

' Main transfer mechanism. Butt-grinding mechanism.

" Swaging mechanism. Pointing mechanism.

nism.

Flattening mechanism. Point-bending mechanism, and I Removing and tempering mechanism.

formed by the several units will be readily understood. 1 The first operation is 'to cut a predetermined length from wire fed to the machine, as illustrated at A.' In order to secure uniform length of all the blanks, the

wire is cut in two places, thus leaving a short piece at one end which is discarded. The blank is then transferred to the butt-grinding mechanism and is thereby rounded oi as indicated at B. The blank is then conveyed to the swaging mechanism where the point end is reduced in diameter and tapered ofi, as shown at C. At the next station the point is definitely formed by grinding, as illus- Butt-forming and groove-punching mecha By referring to Fig. 24, the operations pertrated at D. The blank is then transfer-red to the next succeeding station at which two operations are performed, thatis, the buttend is rolled down,as indicated at E, and the -noucat or groove is punched as shown at F.

The blank then proceeds to the next station I where it is 'flattened, as's'ho wn atG, to eliminate any bulgingof the sides which may have been effected during thegrooving operation. The blank then goes tothe point-bending 1,696,484, above referred to.

Supporting and driving structure The machine has a suitably supported base or bed-plate 1 upon which the various operating instrumentalities are mounted. A main drive-shaft,'not.shown, is preferably supported as disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 232,794, now Patent No.

This driveshaft transmits motion to a shaft 2 (Fig. 4)

provided with a worm 3 which meshes with a gear 4: on a cam-shaft 5. Upon the camshaft 5 are mounted the cams which control the movements of some of the operating units and the main transfer mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully brought out.

The cam-shaft 5 drives another cam-shaft 6 through a chain-and-sprocket drive 7 Upon the cam-shaft 6 are mounted the cams which control the movements of the chucks or work-holdersat the several stations.

. "The cam-shaft 5* also" drives another shaft -8 through a .chain-and-spro'cket drive 9;

Upon the shaft 8 are mounted the cams which control the movements of others of the operating units, not controlled from the shaft 5.

The foregoing is the general driving mechanism of the machine and includes the drive for the various stations and'the carrier'which operates in conjunction therewith.

, Wire straightening mechanism Thepreliminary step of straightening the wire as it is fed to the machine andbefore cutting the blanks therefrom is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A complete disclosure thereof is included in our co-pending application above referred to. It will be sufficient,'herein, to state that wire is fed to the machine from a reel or other device and passes first through a wire-cleaner by which any oil, dust, and dirt is removed. The wire is then threaded through a series of interdigitating rollers mountedfin a rotatable frame. Drawing the wire through the rollers while the frame is rotating effects the necessary straighteningof the wire prior to its introduction into the cutting to be described.

0utting-t0-Zength mechanism mechanism now The wire having been threaded through the straightening mechanism is then inserted into I a conveyor 10 slidably mounted on a support 11. The conveyor 10 is operated by a lever 12. which is eccentrically mounted ona disk disk 13 rotates, the lever 12 will draw the 25, and at its rear end with a retracting spring 26. The carrier of'the main transfer 13 carried by a, shaft 14. The shaft 14 is driven through. suitable gearing ,15 from a through gears'17 from the shaft 8. As the conveyor ,10 forward and the wire will be presented to the cutting mechanism.

Mounted upon the base 1 1s a palr of brackets 18, one of which is shown in Fig. 3. Each 'bracketsupports alowerfixed knife 19 and an upper slidableknife 20,the latter being held inelevated'position-by means of a spring (not shown). and being periodically depressed by means of cams 21 fixed on the shaft 16. It will be understoodthat the pairsof knives are spaced apart a distance equal to the length ofthe blank and that the wire is,

therefore, simultaneously cut in twoplaces, as indicated at A, Fig. 24. A short piece I of-the wire is discarded, but-by this arrange- 'ment of the knives, uniformity in the length of the blanks is assured. p

During the cutting operation the'wire is supported in an apertured blank-holder. 22

. which forms part of the initial transfer mechanism, now to be described.

Initial transfer-mechanism shaft 16 which in turn receives its motion 7 Thelwire having been cut, the initial transfer mechanism now becomes operative to transfer; the blank tothe first of the, serles of chucks, that is, the chuck which holds the blank during the butt-grinding'operation; v

23 slidable in a channel 24 suitably upported on oneof the brackets 18 immediately above and in direct vertical alinement with the car .rier of. the main transfer mechanism (presently to be described), At its forward end,

the bar 23 is provided with a depending arm mechanism is provided with an adjustable'lug (not'shown) which upon movement of the qcarrieris adapted to contact with the arm 25 and thu shift the bar 23 tothe right, thereby 'transferringfthe blank to the first of the se-.

. ries of chucks. When the carrier descends to its lower position, contact between its lug and the arm'j25 is broken and the bar 23-is returned to its initial position by action of the 1 spring 26.

The mechanism above described is more fully disclosed in our co-pending application SerialNo. 232,794, now Patent No. 1,696,484, and reference is made thereto for a more com-;

'plete'understanding thereof.

' Main transfer mechanism In or der to transfer the blank from station to station and, thus,'to a series of chucks juxtaposed to the several stations, we have provided a carrier 27 provided with a plurality of blank carrying-jaws hereinafter more fully described. Reciprocatory'movement in I'The blank-holder 22 is mounted on .a bar ahorizontal plane is imparted to this carrier by a drum cam 28mou=nted on the cam-shaft 5.f Cooperatingwith this cam 28 is a follower QS-connected to a lever 30 which is pivoted, at one 'end,-to a bracket secured to the machine-base and at its other end connected to the carrier 27 (Fig; 4). The cam is so formed that upon rotation, it will oscillate the lever 30 and thus reciprocate the carrier 27 in a horizontal plane longitudinally of the machine.

Thecarrier 27 is also reciprocated in avertical plane by means of arms 31 which are raised and lowered by levers 32 having rollers 33 working on cams 34 mounted on the cam-shaft 5. v

Y The motion described by the carrier is,

therefore, a parallelogram. That is to say, the carrier being in elevated position with the carrying-jaws in alinement with their respective chucks, the carrier first moves to the right and. stops when the jaws are in alinement with the nextjsucceeding chucks which take the blanks from the jaws. The carr er then descends and moves to the left where it remains stationary while the work is being performed upon the blanks. The work completed, the carrier again moves to the left and upward to theiniti'al blank-taking position.

As abovestatedthe carrier 27-is provided with a plurality of blank carrying-jaws 35.

cams These jaws are pivotally mounted on brackets 36 secured to the carrier and are normally ma ntained closed by meanso'f springs 37.

Separation of the jaws is effected by means of a lever 38 pivoted, at one end, on the brack- 71.61; 36 and having at the'other end a roller 39 adaptedto rideup on a beveled cam 40 mou-nted on abar 41 slidable in'the carrier 27. Intermediate 1ts ends, the lever 38 1s provlded with-a projection 42 which, as the leverrides up on the can'1,'is adapted to enter between the-jawmembers and Wedge them apart.-

Motion ofthe slidable bar 41 is-effected by means of a pivoted lever 43 having aroller 44 adapted to contact with lugs45 and 46 on the'bar 41. The-lever has roller contact with cam- 471nountedon' the cam-shaft 5. As the cam rotates, it will swing the lever to the right, whereupon the roller 44 will contact with the lug 45'and thus shift the bar'41 'to the right; This movement withdraws the fluence oftheirsprings. lVhen the actuating 5 portion of the cam has'passed, the lever 43 s'win 's to the left by ac'tionof a spring 48 whereuponthe roller 44 will contact with the lug 46 thus shiifting thebar 41 to the left. This movement of the bar causes separation of the jaws 35 as hereinbe-fore explained.

B'u tzfgrinding mechanism 1 The blan'lnliaving been out by the mechanisnrheretofore described, is then transferred 40 from contact with the levers 39, thus 1 1 allowing the-jaws 35 to close under the inby means of the initial transferto the first'of the series of operating units. The blank is received-by achuok '49 which is mounted for reci tirocating movement transversely ofthe machine. The chuck presents the butt of the blank to a grinding wheel 50 which rounds off the butt end as indicated at B, F 1g. 24.

The grinding wheel 50 is adjustably mounted and is automatically moved longitudinally of themachine by a mechanism including a cam 51 on a shaft 52 which is suitably geared, as at 53, to the shaft 14. The-mounting and operation of the grinding wheel is fully'illustrated and described in our application Serial No. 232,794, now Patent No. 1,696,484.,

The reciprocatory movement of the chuck is effected through a cam (not shown), the "operation of which 1s similar to that disclosed in our copendi-ng application. above referred to. r r

'Swagz'ng mechanism Thebutt-grinding operation having been completed, the blank is taken by the first of the series of jaws 35 and transferred to a chuck 54 which holds the blank during the 'swaging operation. This chuck is mounted for reciprocatory movement transversely of the machine, the movement being controlled by a suitable cam (not shown) on the camshaft 6. Opening and closing of .the jaws of the chuck is efiected'byza bar 55 which receives its motion from a lever 56 which, in

turn, is operated by a cam 57 on the cami The point-having beenreduced in diameter by the swaging operation, the blank is then received by the next pair. of carrying jaws 35 andtransferred to a chuck59 whichholds the blank J during the pointing operation. This-.chuclndike those heretofore described, is mounted for reciprocatory movement transversely of the machine, the movementabeing controlled by acam (not shown) on the camofthebar55. t

The chuck 59 presents the point of the blank to a grinding wheel 60 by which the point is properly tapered off and finished. The grinding wheel is .adjustably mounted and is automatically adjusted by a: mechanism including'a cam 61actuated bythe shaft 1shaft'6. As in the case of the chuck f54, the jaws of this chuck are operated 'bymovement of the pointing operation is illustrated at D,

Fig. 24.

63 which holds the blank during the two op erations now to be described.

I mechanism including a cam 71 on the shaft '8 which actuates a lever :72 which, in turn, operates a lever 7 3 which is connected to the shaft 65. This arrangement imparts forward movement to the pusher 66 simultane ouslywith the advance of the chuck 63, the.

I The pusher thenwithdraws and At this station it is essential that the blank be properly received in the jaws of the chuck so that the proper length ofthe butt-end will be rolled down and the point accurately pre- I sented to the groove-punch. To insure this,

we have provided the machinism now to be described.

Journaled in brackets 64 is a shaft 65 which, v at itsforward end is provided with a pusher or driver 66. This pusher is normally ininoperative position below the plane of'the chuck andthe carrying-jaws as shown in; full lines in Figs. 4 and 5.' As the carrying-' aws" approach the position where the chuck 63 will'take the blank, the pusher 66 is elevated tothe position indicated by dotted lines 1n Figs. 4 and 5. This movement of the pusher is el'lectedby a mechanism including a lever Y 67 pivoted atone end to the bed-plate 1 and provided intermediate its ends with a roller 68 which rides on a cam 69 on the cam-shaft 5; At its other end, the lever is linked to a lever 7 O which is connected to the shaft 65.

By this arrangement the pusher is elevated to a position where it is in alinement with the blank and the chuck, as illustratedin full lines-in Fig. 8. At this instant, the chuck 63 advances toward the blank from one side and the pusher 66 from the other side, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.8. Forwardmovement of the pusher'63 1s efie'ctedv bya result being that the blank is' driven into thethuck to the proper extent. This posi-..

tion of the blank is illustrated in Fig. 9. descends to its initial position.

The blank now beingproperly positioned in the chuck,-the chuck advances. toward the groove-punch. The movement-of the chuck 63 is:controlled by a cam -7 4 onthe cam-shaft 6 which actuates a lever 7 5 pivoted on-a shaft at'E, Fig. 24- At the completionof the for-ward movement, th blank is brought to on an anvil .79am a punch 89 then de scends and punches the groove or noucat as ;81 whi'ch is periodically clutched to a fly- .Butt'fmommg i m medm' wheel '82. This operation is'fully disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No.

ing thereof. v

F Zattem'ng mechanism I The groove having been punched, the blank is transferred by the next pair of carrying jaws 35 to a chuck 83 which holds the blank during the flattening operation. This operation is necessary because the sides of the blank at the groove will be slightly bulged by the punching operation. Asthezchuckadyances toward the flattening mechanism it is glven a quarter turn byactionof a cam 84. Whenthe forwardmovement is completed, the blank rests on an anvil 85 and a hammer 86 descends and flattens it. The: movement of the hammer 86-.is effected by thesame mechanism as the punch 80. The

result of this operation is shown-at'G, Fig. 24. V

Pom-bea n echanism blank is transferred by the next pair of carrying-jaws 35 to a chuck87 which holds the blank during the operation, of bending the point. ciprocatory movement transversely of the machine, which movement is effected by a cam 88 which actuates-a lever 89 pivoted on the shaft- 7 6 and 'operatively connected to the chuck (Fig; 11)

The chuck advances and brings the blank.

to rest on a stationary die 90 which is mounted 1111- a bracket 91 supported; on the bedplate 1. .The bracket 91 also; provides the I pivot for ia'lever "92 which at: its forward,

end is provided with ascompjanion die 93 adapted-to cooperate withthe die 90 in the 1 i operationof bending the point, At its rear end, the lever 92 has-a cam roller94 which.

The flattening :operation completed, the

This .chuck ;is mounted. for re- 1 rides on a cam 95.01 the shaft 8. Thea'ctionfj narrowing-pointer transfer-needle hasnow been'formed, requlrlngonly tempering. V

Removing and tempering mechanism, A

of the cam' is to depress the die 93,. assisted by a spring 96- 'The result of this operatio nl is illustrated at H, Fig. 24 This completes the series of operations on the. blank hat "The -"na'rrowing'-point having beencom- I pletely formed,'-isnow transfer-red by'means of the next pair of carryin'g-jaws' 35 to the i removing mechanism. This mechanism 5 is best illustrated in Figs. 17, 18 and 19. The

jaws'35 deposit the narrowing poin ton a plate '97 the parrowing fpoifit is; titans{I royided with a U-shape openin 98'1nto1w 1ch'the3aws-enter(Fig118) anc ferredby a. remover 99 to the; temper-ing mechanism presently to be described.

The remover 99; is mountedifor oscillating;

movement controlled byr'a. cam 100. on the? Ca-lnrShait -;(;Fig. 16),. Thiscam actuates a lever 101 pivoted; at :102. to the frameofthe-machine. Intermediate its ends the lever 1 is. connected: to a lever 103- which, in. turn, is linked to a lever 104:, which oscillatesthe. remover 99. The arrangement is such that the vertical swinging movementof the lever 101 a: plane transverse of the machine, is translated-into oscillating? movement. of, the

' lever: 104;: in; a; plane, longitudinal of: the, ma-

. roller l05'wliich: engages a guide 106 pivot-sch chine.- .7

The remover 99 isprovided witha guide- 011': a bracket: 107 supported on; the; machine: base: he its; forward end I the; guideirl06 is.p1iovitled w'vitha pin; 198* Whioln engages in; arcuate' slot-.109} in; the bracket-1075 Elie-ainitial. position 0t the remover is shown in dottedl lines-in: Fig; 1 8. When a nanrowingpoi'nt;has-been deposited on .the

a plate 97ftheixemoven' starts its-foriwardsmove ment;. During: thezfnn'wardi traveliof the re points in a; tube l lfl which enters the side wall of a .muflie furnace- 1 151 ashesfisliower in Figs; 2* and 16s .A; plunger or: pistone'112 Works in the tube 110 and? conveysthenar rowing-points to a mechanism in the interior ofthe furnace presently to beadescribed The 7 piston 'llfl isaaetnated by a lever. 1*13 -'which is" connectedby a link 1 14 to: one arm. of aa belleorank 115i Thel'other arm of the bell?- ci anlr is provided with a roller 11 6 which engagesfa'cam 1:17 011 th'e camshaft 5. The shape'of the camis suoli as to impar-t tot-hepisten 112, through the leversmentioned,

a;freciproc atory movement t-l 1e tube 110 thus, at f'eacli, stroke of pistona narrowing-point is introduced into,- the i'iurnace'l' 11. y Z The narrowing-point is depos1t'ed' up,on a

' pair of fixed rack-s, ll8',;betweenfwhioh, is

located a movable rack 9119. These rack s are normall yin such 'positionthait their teeth V are in alinementso. that: thenanrowing-pgint actuated-by a camqriza on the camshaft 5'1 *The{ rack 11 9 is' also reciprocated vertically will: be. supported, by all-pthearacksas shown in; Figs. 21; and 22% The-movable. rack. 1:19? acts tor convey the n'arrowing poinh; step by step, through: the. furnace. Horizontal re- I ciprocation oftherack 119 is-efi'ectediby a lever 129 connected: to: aj'lever' l2lf which is .ate the units successively" to. out a blank,

to i-transfen a :nanrowing pointrblank to: each by alever123swvhichis actuatedv by a cam. 124' on the-cameshafi; 5.- 1 i The path of movement of the rack 11.9 is, therefore,a parallelogram, similar to that describedbythecarrier 27; That is to say, the rack being in the position illustrated at A, Fig, 2,3,,first is-lowered to the position; shown at: B' a-ndithent moves totheleft as indicated by the, arrow inathat figure, The a movement tozthe-leltt. isonly. for; the distance between adjacent teeth and, then the rack is elevated to the. plane; of the fixed. racks. A narrowing pointi is thenx deposited upon the racks. 'llhe movable rack is now elevatedto the; po sition indicatedzat, 0,.Fig. 23, and movestog the right thus conveying the narrowing-point to the space pbetwveenthe next teeth on the; fixed racks. By this means, each narrowing-- point: is progressively advanced, through the furnace andfinally drops throughatdischarge opening; 125: and. into 2' an! oil receptacle 126.. This completes the manuiactureof the-nar rowing-point and it; is; then neadywforthe. market, except, perhaps; for inspection.

'Wliat we claim'is: V v

flt The method of making; a; narrowingpoint which-consistsdncuttingfrom wire a 1 blank, of predetermined length, roundingthe butt-send of the blank, swagingthe point, grinding: the point, bendingthe, butt-end, grooving the pointen'd; andbendingjthe: pfiinits e 2:. In a machine? for: the productionofi nar I 'roivingepoints, a; machine base; a series of:

operating units; "disposed longitudinally 10B thereofea} carrier havingi reeipfnocatory, moves ment longitudinally'ofthe base and adapted? to transfen a; narrowing-pointhlank. to each'i ottherfnnits successively, and. means to opers- V round'the butt-enditheneofglswage and grind? the poi'nt', bend 'the'buttt-end, punch a groove in; the point end, flatten the sides oi the groove andbend the point; r H 3; In a:machinefortheiproduction ofnan-V rowing-points, a machine base, a series of operating units fldi'sposed longitudinally theneof, acarrier having, reeiprocatory movement longitiudinallyof the baseiand adapted n15 ofthe units successively,- andzmeans toioperate the units successivel yto cutablank, round the butt-end thereof, swage aiidt grind :the i pointibend butt-en'di punch agro ve in i' the-poi nti-end, flatten-the sides of the groove, bend the point, and means to remove} the finished nanrowing=point and transfer it:to'- a temperingmnit.

- 4'.- I n-al-needle-making machine, a: plurality V of" operating-units, a work-holder associated with ea cli sai'cl units for presenting needle blanks thereto, means=:formoving said workholderstoward' and; away from "said; units, and means assoeiated'wit-h; one otsaid unitsand movablein a direction opposite to convey finished points from the forming through said furnace and said Work-holder to insure accurate position-i ing of the needle-blanks therein.

6. In a needle-making machine a series of operating units each actuatable to produce its respective action on a needle-blank to form a completed needle, a carrier for transporting needle-blanks from unit to unit, a plate upon which the completed needle is deposited by said carrier, and means pivotally mounted adjacent said plate and adapted to be moved across said plate to remove the completed needle therefrom.

7. In a machine for the production of narrowing-points, a machine base, a plurality of operating units disposed longitudinally of the base, each unit actuatable to effect its particular action on a narrowing-point-blank to roduce a finished narrowing-point, a carrier liaving reciprocatory movement longitudi nally of the base and adapted to transfer the blank from unit to unit, an annealing furnace on said base, means to remove the finished narrowing-point from the carrier and to 10. In a machine for the production of narroWing-points,' point-forming mechanism,

point-tempering mechanism, and means to convey finished points from the forming mechanism to the tempering mechanism, said tempering mechanism including a furnace and an oil bath, a pairof fixed point-supporting racks in said furnace, a 'movable point-transporting rack between said fixed racks, and means tomove said movable rack progressively to transport the point-s through said furnace and to discharge them into the oil bath.

In testimony whereof we' aifix our signa- .tures. 7

,ALFRED HOFMANNQ OSWINKANIS.

transfer it to said annealing furnace, means associated with said furnace for progressively transporting the narrowing-point there through, means for operating said units,

means for operating said carrier, means for I operating said removing-means, means for operating said transporting means, and

mechanism common to all said means for": operating them simultaneously and 1n synchronis 1 8. In a machine for the production of narrowing-points, point-forming mechanism, point-tempering mechanism, and means to convey finished points from the forming mechanism to the tempering mechanism, said tempering mechanism including a furnace and anoil bath, and means for progressively transporting the points through the furnace,

and for discharging them into the oil bath. I

9. In a machine for the production of nar-. rowing-po nts, point-forming mechanism,

point-tempering mechanism and means to mechanism to the tempering mechanism, said tempering mechanism including a furnace and an oil bath, a plurality of point-supportin racks in said furnace,one of said racks being movable, and means to move said move ble rack progressively to transport the points into the oil bath.

to discharge them 1 

